Weight Control

• The Ribs – If a dog’s weight is normal, you should be able to feel his ribs easily when you run your hands across them. Although there should be a small amount of fat over the ribs, each individual rib itself should be easy to feel and distinguish. If the ribs can’t be felt this way, the dog is overweight. On the other hand, if the outline of the ribs is visible to the eye, the dog is too thin.
• The Tail – A dog of normal weight will have a slight and smooth layer of fat over the area around the base of the tail. You should be able to feel the bones below this fat. If you can’t, it can be a sign that the dog is overweight. If the bones protrude, the dog may be too thin.
• The Hips, Shoulders and Spine -- Like the base of the tail, these areas should have a slight layer of fat over them. If the bones below the fat can’t be felt, the dog may be too heavy; if the bones protrude or are visible to the eye, the dog may be too thin.
• Side Look – If you look at your dog from the side, you should be able to see an abdominal tuck. If you don’t, it’s a sign of being overweight. If you see a tuck that’s too pronounced, it’s a sign of being underweight.
• Top Look – A dog that’s the right weight will have a distinct waist behind the ribs. This waist will be clearly visible when you stand above that dog and look down. If there is no waist, or the area between the hips and ribs bulges out, the dog needs to lose weight. If the waist is too thin, the dog needs to gain weight.

How Dogs Lose Weight
Dogs stay in good shape the same way people do, through diet and exercise. Just as with people, healthy practices should be part of a dog's everyday life, not just a temporary "diet" that's followed until the desired amount of weight is lost. Here are some guidelines:

• Seek Veterinary Advice – Unless your dog is only slightly overweight, a veterinarian should be consulted before beginning a diet
• Measure Portions Sizes Accurately – All foods should be measured. A standard 8 oz. cup measure should be used. Too many people assume that their coffee cup is the size of the cup listed on the dog food bag. Many times these cups are 1.5 to 2 times the size. So when trying to follow the recommendations on the bag, they are seriously overfeeding their pet.
• Reduced Portion Sizes – Another alternative is to restrict the amount of regular dog food you offer your dog. In many cases, restricting the amount of food is the best course of action, especially if the dog was being given portions that were too generous. Portion guidelines on dog food packages are just that --guidelines – and that they may not be appropriate for any given pet. In these cases, you should use common sense to adjust the portion size down. It is important that you do not to reduce portion size too quickly. A dog’s portions should never be reduced by more than 10% without consulting a veterinarian.
• Effectiveness Of Reduced Calorie Foods –  If you are concerned about an overweight pet continuing to gain weight, we recommend a "lite" or reduced calorie formula, since these foods have been formulated to help curb excessive weight gain without sacrificing nutritional value. These foods are also used to help dogs that were once obese maintain a healthy weight level after their optimal weight was achieved, usually following a veterinarian-supervised diet. However, a dog that is seriously overweight should be taken to a veterinarian before being put on a diet or being switched to a new food.
• Always Avoid Crash Diets – It is not recommended to put dogs on a “crash diet.” Overweight dogs that lose weight too quickly can lose lean muscle mass. Any dog that must lose a lot of weight to reach a normal body mass should do so only after being seen by a veterinarian.
   

Underweight Dogs Should See A Veterinarian
A dog is underweight if it feels bony, and has very little fat on the ribs. You should be able to feel each rib distinctly when they run their hands over a dog’s rib cage. However, if you can see the outline of the ribs as well as feel them, the dog is underweight. You should also be able to feel some fat as well as some bone when they touch the area at base of the dog’s tail, the hips and the shoulders. If you can feel only bone and no fat, the dog is too thin. Being thin may be a sign of serious disease. It is recommended that you take you dog to their veterinarian for a full check-up.

Calorie Couting
Until recently, calorie figures were not allowed on dog food. However, AAFCO has established standards for calculating pet food calories. Manufacturers may use these standards to determine calorie counts for their dog food.

AFFCO has also created a standard for use of the terms “Light” and “Lite” in dog food, as well as the term “Lean” (or “Low Fat”). Light (or Lite) dry dog food cannot contain more than 3100 kilocalories per kilogram. (About 2.2 pounds of food) Lean (or Low Fat) dry dog food cannot contain more than 9% crude fat.

You should know that AAFCO rules on reduced calorie food only pertain to those with “Light,” “Lite,” “Lean,” or “Low Fat” in their names. Other diet-like names such as “weight control,” or “less active” are not covered by AAFCO. This does not mean that the weight reduction claims made by the makers of those foods are false, but they are not substantiated by AAFCO.

Calorie information on dog food labels must be conveyed in terms of kilocalories per kilogram.